History - Our company

History

ANZ is one of the largest companies in Australia and New Zealand and a major international banking and financial services group, which is among the top 50 banks in the world.

ANZ world headquarters is located in Melbourne. It first opened as the Bank of Australasia in Sydney in 1835 and in Melbourne from 1838.

ANZ's impressive history stretches back over 170 years and involves dozens of different banks.

2008

Receives licence for incorporation in Vietnam
Launches mobile phone banking and banking for iPhone
Sponsors musical WICKED - $1 million investment is the largest of its kind in Australian theatre history
Achieves leading global bank ranking in Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the second year in a row
Opens ANZ House in Canberra
Creates new customer-focussed business model to support growth and performance
Releases findings of Securities Lending Review which examined the Bank's involvement in Securities Lending and its relationship with Broker clients including the Opes Prime group
Opens new regional hub office in Hong Kong for business expansion throughout Asia
Obtains trading membership from the Shanghai Gold Exchange, making it one of only four foreign banks permitted to trade gold in the China market
Launches ANZ Tower in the central business district of Jakarta, Indonesia, including a flagship branch that provides a full range of services to customers

2007

Appoints Mike Smith as Chief Executive Officer
Achieves leading global bank ranking in Dow Jones Sustainability Index
Finalises acquisition of E*TRADE Australia
Completes investment in Malaysia's AMMB Holdings Berhad, China's Shanghai Rural Commercial Bank, Vietnam's Saigon Securities Incorporation and ANZ Vientiane Commercial Bank, Laos

2006

Completes 20% investment in China's Tianjin City Commercial Bank
Achieves Top 3 ranking on Corporate Responsibility Index
Launches Progress Loans program for low-income earners
Releases Statement of Commitment to Reconciliation

2005

Launches strategic alliance with Sacombank, Vietnam
Opens representative office in Noumea, New Caledonia
Extends SaverPlus matched savings program to 500 low-income earners

2004

Announces record operating profit after tax of AUD $2,815 million
Announces agreement with Royal Group to establish joint venture bank in Cambodia
Named Bank of the Year for a record fifth year in a row by Personal Investor magazine

2003

Acquires National Bank of New Zealand from Lloyds TSB
Formalises cooperation agreement with Shanghai Rural Credit Cooperatives Union
Enters credit card joint venture with Metrobank, Philippines
Releases Australia's first survey of adult financial literacy

2002

Forms joint venture with ING Group for funds management and life insurance business in Australia and New Zealand
One millionth customer registers for ANZ Internet Banking in Australia
Acquires Bank of Hawaii operations in Fiji, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea

2001

Acquires 75% of Bank of Kiribati
ANZ Timor Leste opens

2000

ANZ sells its Grindlays businesses in the Middle East and South Asia, and associated Grindlays Private Banking business, to Standard Chartered
Granted local currency (Renminbi) licence from the People's Bank of China

1999

ANZ Internet Banking launched
ANZ announces strategic alliance with E*Trade Australia for online share trading service
Purchases Amerika Samoa Bank

1998

Acquires stake in PT Panin Bank, Indonesia

1997

John McFarlane appointed Chief Executive Officer
ANZ Phone Banking launched
Official opening of Beijing branch, China
Bank of Western Samoa changes its name to ANZ Bank (Samoa)

1996

www.anz.com launched
ANZ opens its second Vietnamese branch at Ho Chi Minh City

1995

Opens a commercial banking branch in Manila, Philippines, the first Australian and New Zealand bank to do so

1993

Joint venture established with PT Panin Bank, Indonesia
Opens a branch in Hanoi and a representative office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Opens a branch in Shanghai and a representative office in Guangzhou, China
Starts operations in Tonga

1991

Acquires 75 per cent of Bank of Western Samoa
Opens representative office in the Philippines

1990

Acquires National Mutual Royal Bank Limited
Acquires Lloyds' operations in Papua New Guinea
Acquires Bank of New Zealand's operations in Fiji
Acquires Town and Country Building Society in Western Australia

1989

Purchases PostBank from New Zealand Government

1988

Opens branch in Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Opens branch office in Paris, France

1985

Acquires Barclays' operations in Fiji and Vanuatu
Receives full commercial banking licence and opens branch in Frankfurt, Germany
Announces ANZ Singapore Limited
Opens representative office in Bangkok, Thailand

1984

Purchases Grindlays Bank

1980

Singapore and New York representative offices upgraded to branch status

1979

Acquires the Bank of Adelaide

1977

ANZ incorporated in Australia (transfer from UK)

1976

NZ (PNG) established

1971

Opens representative office in Malaysia

1970

In what was then the largest merger in Australian banking history, ANZ Bank merged with the English, Scottish and Australian Bank Limited to form the present organisation, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited
Starts operations in Vanuatu

1969

Establishes representative office in Tokyo, Japan

1968

Opens office in New York, USA

1966

Starts operations in Honiara, Solomon Islands

1951

The Bank of Australasia merges with the Union Bank of Australia to form ANZ Bank

1852

The English, Scottish and Australian Bank was established in 1852. This was an Anglo-Australian bank

1837

The Union Bank of Australia was established. This was an Anglo-Australian bank

1835

ANZ began in London when The Bank of Australasia was established under Royal charter